Glitter in the Air
by D. M. Evans
Summary: Riza knows she can't glitter and sparkle like some women.


Title - Glitter in the Air

Author – D M Evans

Disclaimer - Arakawa owns it

Summary- Riza knows she can't glitter and sparkle like some women.

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Riza sat in the corner of Christmas's bar, looking at all the beautiful women who worked for her, all of Roy's 'sisters.' That was the problem though. They weren't really related to Roy. It would be easier on her ego if they were. Her back still itched and pulled even though it was now fully healed after she had Roy destroy the array her father had entrusted to her.

Riza had never seen as much bare skin as she did inside the Pearl Gate. It wasn't the level of burlesque, or at least she didn't think so. It wasn't as if she had ever been to a burlesque show. She didn't think they existed in the woodland town she had grown up in. They certainly had been present around the Academy and the military bases, but she had no interest in watching women pop balloons taped to their bodies.

Fashion had never been Riza's strong suit. She didn't know there were dresses that plunged and draped so low on the back that the dimples above the butt could be seen. She could never wear anything like that. The array ruined her for swanky, elegant dresses like those, and now the scars simply reinforced it. Riza didn't know if she had the guts to wear the ones that dipped low in the front. She didn't know how some of Roy's sisters kept their breasts inside their bodices. Even his aunt's dress went low to her ample breasts; a string of pearls lent her attire a more classy touch.

In her pretty, but conservative dress, Riza felt horribly out of place. Her short hair didn't help. She felt like what she actually was, a soldier playing dress up. She never had much of a head for alcohol either. Roy did, but by his own admission, he couldn't keep pace with his sisters. From how Riza understood it, the hostesses did a lot of drinking as they plied their marks for information. She had wondered if sex was part of the deal, but Roy said it was frowned on. There were easier, safer ways to get what they wanted.

What didn't surprise Riza was how quick the men went for the bait. She didn't know how many of the men in Pearl Gate had information worth knowing. However, everyone seemed boisterous and happy to have the attention of pretty young women. There were other women in the bar, flirting with young men, each more dapper than the next. Roy had mentioned 'brothers,' too, but there were fewer of them. They were there to capture the attention of the wealthy older women who were probably here to reassure themselves that they were still desirable even if their staid husbands had stopped noticing. A few of the young men were there for the men as well. Riza didn't know if Roy had ever fulfilled this duty for his aunt. She didn't _want_ to know, not that it really mattered to her. Roy was still Roy, no matter what. Besides, he had spent most of his youth in her father's house getting up to almost nothing at all.

Riza took a nervous sip of her whiskey and soda. What is Roy wanted her to be like his sisters? She couldn't bear that. Low-cut dresses, glittering jewelry, painted nails, it so wasn't her style. She couldn't titter and pretend to hang on his every word. Of course, Roy had never asked her to do anything like that. In fact, she could swear he loved it when she gave him the hairy eye and bossed him around. Still, it was hard not to feel a little lacking compared to his sparkling 'kin.'

Riza looked across the bar where Roy sat with Maes in a different corner. It wouldn't do to be seen in her company too early in the evening. People might be sober enough to remember. Maes's hands waved animatedly, and he seemed to be ignoring the girls around him. He was probably telling Roy how they paled compared to Gracia. Riza would finally meet this amazing woman tomorrow, but the poor thing had no way of living up to Maes's exaggerations.

Roy caught Riza looking and he smiled. In that moment, her worries faded away. He looked at her with all the same desire as the men did his sisters. She knew then she didn't need to be fancier than a peacock. Roy wanted her just as she was.


End file.
